June 30, 2010 - 10:56am
Autolyse question
I've been reading a bit about what autolyse does, and it seems mostly for improving dough extensibility and not so much elasticity. That being said, when would you *not* do an autolyse? Would you do it for Rye or 100% wholegrain breads? It seems to me that it is always a good idea, but I have seen several recipes from respectable books (like ABAP, Bread) which do not specify an autolyse, which makes me believe there's some kind of tradeoff here.
Share
Hi
I like autolyse as it allows for maximum water absorption into the dough. Maybe that was not primarily what Professor Calvel had in mind, but if you are working with wholemeal flour, this is a real bonus!
Hamelman advises liquid levain is included in autolyse; good idea! Some expert posters on TFL like long cold autolse process too. There is much scope for experimentation to find your own favoured method.
Best wishes
Andy